Frustrated-- Can't see anything changing

samonmission · July 2013

So I have started working out - I mean like seriously 3 weeks back and doing the C25K this time. I am checking my intake and everyday I am under my daily calorie goal. But to my surprise I have gained 3 lbs instead of losing anything..
I am drinking enough water... and 3 weeks is a short period to see any changes in my body size....

I am feeling much better now to do 3mi exercises which use to make me tired like anything previously but is that all you see after working so hard for 3 weeks?:ohwell:

I read somewhere that 30min of daily exercise is not enough for weight loss... is that true? What are your experiences with C25K?

Machafin · July 2013

That is not true about exercise. Have you been taking measurements? Lots of ppl when they first start working out will replace fat with muscle so you will see either no loss or gains at first. Taking measurements are good because you will decrease in size. If you see this then you know you are making progress.

jbeanv · July 2013

How far below your calories are you? Are you eating your exercise calories? For me, I notice that it I don't eat most of my exercise calories I won't lose. I try not to leave more than a couple hundred calories on the table. I also agree about the measurements. If you're truly sticking to the plan and exercising that much, your body is changing, maybe just not on the scale.

Hang in there, it will pay off!

Ninkyou · July 2013

Are you weighing/measuring your food or are you eyeballing it? Are you using MFP's calories burned estimate or do you have a HRM to track your burn. Also, are you eating back your exercise calories? The problem could lie in one of those areas. You could be underestimating your calorie intake and/or overestimating your exercise calories. And if you're not eating back your exercise calories (or at least a percentage of them), you should. You can't expect your body to run if it doesn't have fuel.

So look at those 3 things and see if the problem lies in any of those.

jwdieter · July 2013

Make sure you take some "before" pictures. It's hard to see all the changes when we look at ourselves so often. And give it some time.

chantels1 · July 2013

A before photo is a must. So many people don't see change on the scale or in the mirror and a tape measure changes so slowly. The before picture can help you see the differences as you go. Also, how are your clothes fitting? And finally, are you weighing your food? Most of the time people under estimate the amount they are eating. If you don't have a food scale, don't eat back all of your exercise calories. 50-75% should be good.

If you open your diary, we can probably assist further.

samonmission · July 2013

Thank you for your replies everyone ... and yes I am relying on MFP's calorie counter ... It may be that I am underestimating my calorie intake
How would I make sure I enter the right intake? Do I have to weigh everything I take?

Ninkyou · July 2013

Thank you for your replies everyone ... and yes I am relying on MFP's calorie counter ... It may be that I am underestimating my calorie intake
How would I make sure I enter the right intake? Do I have to weigh everything I take?

Yes, weigh and measure everything! You'd be surprised, for example, what 4 oz of chicken breast really looks like!

daniellemm1 · July 2013

Thank you for your replies everyone ... and yes I am relying on MFP's calorie counter ... It may be that I am underestimating my calorie intake
How would I make sure I enter the right intake? Do I have to weigh everything I take?

Yes, weigh and measure everything! You'd be surprised, for example, what 4 oz of chicken breast really looks like!

YES!! Prior to buying a scale I thought I was overestimating my food and boy was I shocked to discover the truth. Definately invest in a digital scale to weigh all of your food. At first it was a bit annoying to do but now it is habit and it has made a world of difference.

I also find that MFP overestimates my calories burned by double.

PLoveElliott · July 2013

The key to success is to keep at it...even when you feel that you aren't getting the results that you want. As mentioned in previous posts it is important to properly measure out your food (I bought a food scale on Amazon.com) and get a heart rate monitor. I found that MFP calories burned in the exercise section are off. They are higher than what my heart rate monitor is telling me...which can be deadly if you are eating back your exercise calories.
Hang in there, stick with it and you will start to see movement again.

shadus · July 2013

So I have started working out - I mean like seriously 3 weeks back and doing the C25K this time. I am checking my intake and everyday I am under my daily calorie goal. But to my surprise I have gained 3 lbs instead of losing anything..
I am drinking enough water... and 3 weeks is a short period to see any changes in my body size....

I am feeling much better now to do 3mi exercises which use to make me tired like anything previously but is that all you see after working so hard for 3 weeks?:ohwell:

I read somewhere that 30min of daily exercise is not enough for weight loss... is that true? What are your experiences with C25K?

Weight loss is simply a formula of calories out being greater than calories in. You can lose weight doing nothing but sitting on your *kitten* all day. Not as healthy as doing some exercise and not as liberal with the calories as you could be if you did exercise, but it is possible.

That said... you have one of two possible problems:

1) You're miscalculating your calorie intake. This is entirely likely.
2) You're miscalculating your calorie expenditure and eating to many calories as a result.
3) You have a medical condition that is preventing you from losing weight (unlikely.)

Do you weigh your food? How are you doing your dieting? How do you calculate your goal calories, based on your goal how much should you be losing? etc

cwolfman13 · July 2013

First off, three weeks is...like practically nothing in the scheme of things.

Secondly, 9 times out of 10 when people have issues it is because they are underestimating consumption and/or overestimating burn. If you're just eyeballing portions and neglecting to weigh and measure your foods and ingredients then this is likely the culprit. Studies have been done that indicate, on average, people who count calories underestimate their consumption by 20-30% by not weighing and measuring, "cheating," not logging everything, etc. A good example is chicken breast...people log 4 oz because that is technically a serving...but most chicken breasts are about double that; so if you're not cutting that chicken breast in half, you're likely not eating a 4 oz serving. Also, if you're eating a lot of prepacked food and/or eating out, there can be as much as 20% error in those estimations before they get into any kind of trouble.

shadus · July 2013

First off, three weeks is...like practically nothing in the scheme of things.

Secondly, 9 times out of 10 when people have issues it is because they are underestimating consumption and/or overestimating burn. If you're just eyeballing portions and neglecting to weigh and measure your foods and ingredients then this is likely the culprit. Studies have been done that indicate, on average, people who count calories underestimate their consumption by 20-30% by not weighing and measuring, "cheating," not logging everything, etc. A good example is chicken breast...people log 4 oz because that is technically a serving...but most chicken breasts are about double that; so if you're not cutting that chicken breast in half, you're likely not eating a 4 oz serving. Also, if you're eating a lot of prepacked food and/or eating out, there can be as much as 20% error in those estimations before they get into any kind of trouble.

I'll also add to this: The further of a deficit you're currently functioning on the WORSE your ability to judge portions becomes. On a severe deficit people are frequently cited as being as far as believing they're eating HALF the amount they actually are... so often dieting, it gets as bad as 50% misjudging. It's very very important to weigh things... people are terrible at estimating.

The exercise formulas are further terrible at estimating calories burned unless you are: a) not obese and b) doing steady state cardio with a hrm. They're often off as much as 30-40%... it's easy to screw up and eat to much.

samonmission · July 2013

First off, three weeks is...like practically nothing in the scheme of things.

Secondly, 9 times out of 10 when people have issues it is because they are underestimating consumption and/or overestimating burn. If you're just eyeballing portions and neglecting to weigh and measure your foods and ingredients then this is likely the culprit. Studies have been done that indicate, on average, people who count calories underestimate their consumption by 20-30% by not weighing and measuring, "cheating," not logging everything, etc. A good example is chicken breast...people log 4 oz because that is technically a serving...but most chicken breasts are about double that; so if you're not cutting that chicken breast in half, you're likely not eating a 4 oz serving. Also, if you're eating a lot of prepacked food and/or eating out, there can be as much as 20% error in those estimations before they get into any kind of trouble.

I'll also add to this: The further of a deficit you're currently functioning on the WORSE your ability to judge portions becomes. On a severe deficit people are frequently cited as being as far as believing they're eating HALF the amount they actually are... so often dieting, it gets as bad as 50% misjudging. It's very very important to weigh things... people are terrible at estimating.

The exercise formulas are further terrible at estimating calories burned unless you are: a) not obese and b) doing steady state cardio with a hrm. They're often off as much as 30-40%... it's easy to screw up and eat to much.

Thank you for all your replies. I do think that I am underestimating my calorie intake. So I am going to weigh my food going forward to make sure I keep hold on my intake

LongIsland27itl · July 2013

Did you figure out your TDEE, and start eating at a deficit while accurately tracking everything you swallow? If not, you've just been guessing And should start ASAP

Aviendha_RJ · July 2013

Ok. I've posted this before... & I'll post it again.

If it's salt/water gain, wake up in the morning & weigh yourself before you eat, but after restroom. Then eat, and go do your workout. C25k, or whatever it is you're going to do that day (preferably cardio) that's going to make you really sweat. Then get on the scale.

If there is a weight difference on the scale, then you know you're retaining water.

The body retains water when it repairs things... like muscle tears from weight training, or muscle building.

By the way... I'm UP eight pounds from my lowest weight... but DOWN inches AND a full clothing size from that time. I can see cuts in my muscles that weren't there before... my calves, my thighs... I can see the faint outline of my ribs when I turn to the side.... but I don't have to raise my arms to see them.

Really... 3 weeks of "no progress" feels frustrating. My weight has been fluctuating by 5-8 lbs for OVER A YEAR. But my shape is still changing. RELAX. It's still happening. You just can't see it on the scale.

samonmission · July 2013

Ok. I've posted this before... & I'll post it again.

If it's salt/water gain, wake up in the morning & weigh yourself before you eat, but after restroom. Then eat, and go do your workout. C25k, or whatever it is you're going to do that day (preferably cardio) that's going to make you really sweat. Then get on the scale.

If there is a weight difference on the scale, then you know you're retaining water.

The body retains water when it repairs things... like muscle tears from weight training, or muscle building.

By the way... I'm UP eight pounds from my lowest weight... but DOWN inches AND a full clothing size from that time. I can see cuts in my muscles that weren't there before... my calves, my thighs... I can see the faint outline of my ribs when I turn to the side.... but I don't have to raise my arms to see them.

Really... 3 weeks of "no progress" feels frustrating. My weight has been fluctuating by 5-8 lbs for OVER A YEAR. But my shape is still changing. RELAX. It's still happening. You just can't see it on the scale.

Thanks ! I'll try weighing in before & after the exercise and see if that is it. Thank you for you motivating post ... looking forward to see some changes in myself.

Frustrated-- Can't see anything changing

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